Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-24
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rsCio little above the mouth OF Pecan
Bayou nto the present territory of
Brown c1unty, hoping 80 sarprise an
Indian villsge and recover Ms own or an
equal number of horses and nuts. He
suddenly came upon aH 7encampment al
most destitute of horses and with scarce
" any women or children. Quite fight
ensued, the Indians occupying g rocky
point near its termination ct a brushy
little stream. For q time the Indians
seemed defiant and killed one of Captain
Browns Mexicans, besides wounding
several Of his men slightly: but several
Indians fell, and suddenly they all fed
into the creek bottom. Captain Brown,
still anXiOus TO find the object Of his
search, Travelled westerly till night and
camped. During the night some OF The
guard discovered camp fire apparently
about two miles distant. AS DAY dawued
the party mounted and, moving eau
tioGsly, struck the village Just as it was
light enough TO see. SIX of the MeZi-
cans, under prior Instructions, STAN
peded the Indians horses. The other
twentY-three men covered the rear, pre-
pared for battle Twenty or more
mounted Indians soon made pursuit and
heavy skrmisaing eAsuad; but after
four or five warriors were tum5led from
their horses, they drew Of til reinforced
by shout e maHy more, who, however,
made no attack but travelled parallel
with the retreating party, occasionally
showing themselves, till the sun went
down. But ali this time the horses had
been pressed into q gallOp and rendered
too tired to be easily stampeded al night,
the fOrlorn hope of the enemy. The re-
treat was continued To the full capacity
of the animals for two or three success
sive days; then, still travelling ali night
and grazing the horses and sleeping by
alienation portions of each day, the
party arrived safely at Gonzales, with
the loss of one Mexican killed aud four
or five wounded, but not fatally. l once
mad the names Of every man in this party,
but lost the list many years ago. Among
them, however, We're BAIL Durbin,
Shelby, Andrew Scott, Luke the CherO-
kee, the nine MeXiCans, Jesse Robinson,
Moses Morrison, Abram NJ. Clare and
William Bracken. They reached Con
zaIes late in January, 1929. They started
in with shout 700 animals, but got in
with little over 800, the remainder es-
Gaping in the nigh marches. These were
equitably divided am ing the CaptOrs to
the satisfaction of all.
1t was this affair which prompted Cap
tain Brown, later in the year 1929, to
lead a second expedition into the same
section of country, in which, at the
mouth of the San Saba, be accidentally
fell in with the company of Captain Alb
ner Kuykendall, the particulars of which
are thus narrated by the facile pen of
John Henry Brown:
Numerous depredatiOns GboUL this
time determined the cOlOniSts to adopt
some aggressive measures. By authority
of Stephen F. Austin, the civil and mill
tary head of the colony, two companies,
aggregating 100 men, were raised, their
commanders being Oliver Jones and Bart
lett Sims. Abner Kuykendall, the senior
of several who bore that name, was
placed in command of both companies.
About the same time, but without con
cert, a company of thirty-nine men of
DeWitt's colony, under Captain Henry S.
Brown, left GOnZales on @ mission
against the depredating hostjles supposed
to be in the mountains. Among these
thirty-nine early defenders of infant
Texas, were Samuel Highsmith deceased
in I849), BAIL DurbIns, Jesse him
son, Moses Morrison, James Curtis,
George W. COttle (kiIled in the AlamO)
and - Friley.
Kuykendall secured the country be-
tween the Brazos ana Colorado. When
about twenty miles below the mouth of
the San Saba, sort of epidemic appeared
among his men, probably from esting
wild fruits. He halted and sent forward
scouts. The scouts returned on the
third day and reported q large Indian en-
Campmeut on the west bank of the Colo
rado, Just below the mouth Of the San Sa-
ba. Kuykendall determined, if possible, by
8 night march to make daylight attack
on the next morning. The sick men
were sill sufficiently recovered to go for
ward. The night march was mad, but
owing TO cedar brakes and broken ground,
and, 70 the regret Of all, daylight ap-
peared when they were five or six miles
short of their destination. Still anxious
for the advantages of q surprise at dawn,
Captain Kuykendall concealed his force
in 8 dense cedar brake to await another
night and the dawn of the morrow. But
a party of warriors during the day dscov-
cred KuVkendalIs scouts, followed them
and mutual discovery resulted, the red
men rushing to their camp to give the
alarm. KuykendalI mounted and fol-
lowed as rapidly as possible.
Arriving in sight of the village, the In
dams were seen mounting and fleeing,
some already ascending the highlands
near by. Kuykenda1 made a gallant
charge on a band of warriors who re-
NAMED to cover the retreat; but their
! stand was feeble. Only few shots were
| fred, one of which, by Nestor Clay, q
! brave and talented KentuCkian, killed the
| only Indian who fell. A few squaws and
children in the rear were allowed to fol
! low their people.
The Indians, however, left their entire
| camp eQuipsge, including great num-
! Der o. copper and brass kettles, blank
cts, buffalo robes, considerable guam
tity of corn and large number OF horses
! all of which were secured and taken IN oy
the vIctOrs.
During the afternoon Captain Brown
appeared. He had discovered the camp,
secreted his men, put out concealed
watchers, and was, like KUykerdal, eX-
pecting to attack at dawn on the following
morning. BE had passed through the
mountains on the east side Of the
Guadalupe, across the Pierdenales and
LIano to the head of the San Saba. He
encountered two small parties Of In
dams, in the first killing three, and in
the second, near the Enchanted Rock
surprised a small camp near heavy
thickets. Five or six Indians fell, the
reminder escaping in the brush. Both
appeared to be only hunting parties o.
warriors. 1t was on this trip that Cap
tain Brown, with his company, became
the discoverer of the Enchanted Rock
He had followed the San Saba down Il
its mouth, aud little below that discov
cred the Indian ennampment, as ALREADY
stated. Neither ne nor Kuykendal knew
of the other being in that section. til
Browns watchers discovered the fyin!
indians turning a ridge two or thret
miles away, upon which he moved to thu